


By the Fire's Light

by orphan_account



Category: Princess Tutu
Genre: F/M, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-14
Updated: 2014-02-14
Packaged: 2018-01-12 09:15:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1184497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ahiru and Fakir go to the Fire Festival, in a fic written specially for Valentine’s Day to celebrate the love between them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By the Fire's Light

The sun was sinking low in the sky outside as Fakir finished getting ready. And no sooner had he made the final adjustments to his costume then there was a little knock on the door. “Fakir? Can I come in?”

"Yeah. Go ahead." He walked over to meet her as she turned the knob and opened the door. They both stopped short a couple of feet away from each other, stunned by what they saw.

"W-wow, Fakir…" Ahiru’s eyes lit up. "You - you look so handsome!"

"Th-thanks." He could feel his face getting warm - compliments from Ahiru always did that to him. It didn’t matter what she was praising, he blushed every time without fail. "And -"

"Wh-what about me?" Ahiru fidgeted a little, and didn’t notice that she’d interrupted him. "Do - do I look okay?"

"You look more than okay." Fakir smiled. "You look beautiful. You always do."

Ahiru blushed twice as brightly as he had. “Th-thank you… I - I don’t think I _always_ do, though…”

"I do." He moved close enough to her that he could bend and give her a small kiss. "Are you ready to go now?"

"Y-yeah, I - I’m ready." Ahiru stared down at the floor, her happy expression evaporating. "Although, um… if - if you really don’t feel like it, we can stay here, I know we went to the trouble of dressing up and all but we can still dance here and stuff in these outfits, it’s okay…"

Fakir frowned. “What’s wrong? Do you no longer want to go?”

"N-no, I - I do, I just…" She twisted her hands. "Um, well… I guess I should say… I should tell you… I’m s-sorry, in advance, cause… I know we don’t have a chance at winning the golden apple and I don’t want you to be disappointed when we don’t although you still probably will be… so, um, sorry…"

"What?" Fakir shook his head. "No, Ahiru… you don’t have to worry about that. I’m not going there to try to win that thing." His voice dropped and became softer. "I don’t need some painted trinket and a superstition to know I’ll stay by your side forever. You know that."

"Y-yeah, I do, I do know that, I just… well, I just…" Ahiru swallowed. "I know it’s not about that for you, and it’s not about it for me either really, I know we don’t need it to prove we’ll always be together, it’s just… I don’t want to disappoint you, o-or make you look bad. You know?"

Fakir stared down at her. “How on earth could you make me look bad?”

"W-well, you know… you’re such a good dancer, and everyone knows that, but you’re also stuck with _me_ , and…” Ahiru trailed off, blinking. She didn’t want to cry and risk ruining the little bit of makeup she’d put on - she hadn’t done all the things Freya had showed her how to do because she lacked the confidence to try, but she’d at least managed to get some mascara onto her long eyelashes and rubbed off the bits that had gotten on her face - but she could feel the beginnings of tears starting to build in her eyes anyway.

"No. Ahiru, no." Fakir touched her cheek, and lifted her chin a little so that she was looking at him. "Don’t say things like that. You’re a wonderful dancer now… but even if you weren’t, I would still go to this with you. I’m not ‘stuck’ with you, I _choose_ to be with you, because of who you are. You can’t disappoint me.” He shook his head again. “I’m not going there to compete or show off. I’m going there to dance with you. That’s all that matters to me. Not the apple, not other people’s opinions of how I look or how I dance… just being with you and having a good time.” He smiled and took one of her hands so he could gently squeeze it. “Don’t worry so much.”

"I - I’ll try not to. Thank you." Ahiru gave him a wobbly smile in return. "I… s-sorry, I know I’m being silly, I know you don’t care about any of that stuff… we don’t have to go if you think it’s all silly."

"Idiot. It’s not silly at all." Fakir squeezed her hand again. Even after all the time they’d been together, just touching her hand like that still made something inside him go all fluttery, to say nothing of what it felt like to do other physical things with her. "You wanted to go because you thought it sounded fun and you hadn’t gotten the chance to before, right? That’s not silly. And I told you already, I _want_ to go with you. I want to go dance with you.”

"Y-yeah, I do want to go cause of that." She peered up at him. "You’ve never been to it either, right?"

"No." Fakir shrugged slightly. "I never had the time. Or the inclination - I had no one to go with and I thought it was a pointless waste of time anyway. You know how I was back then." A look of regret flashed in his eyes. "But now I have a reason to want to go, so I do."

"I didn’t even know what it was until I heard about it in class the day of it happening, back when - when Mytho and Rue were still here." She carefully avoided mentioning what had gone on that day, not wanting to ruin their evening with a reminder of how badly Fakir had behaved both to Mytho and herself. It had been awful, yes, but he was a different person now and she’d long since forgiven him. She wasn’t sure if he’d ever managed to forgive himself, though, and she didn’t want to bring things down for him by having him brood about the past again, she wanted him to have fun and be happy, for his own sake. "It - it sounded really fun, but I didn’t think there was any point in me going, either, cause I never thought there’d be anyone who’d want to go with me." She smiled shyly at him. "I - I never thought I’d have a _lot_ of things until you…”

Fakir smiled. His good mood had dimmed slightly at the brief allusion to that night during the story, and the reminder it brought with it of the horrible person he’d been back then and his regrettable, _unforgivable_ actions - but her smile was brightening him up again, and he forced himself not to dwell on the past, as seeing him unhappy would only bring _her_ mood down and he wanted her to fully enjoy herself tonight. “I know what you mean.” He bent and gave her another kiss, more lingering this time.

Ahiru giggled. “Th-that’s another thing I never thought I’d get to do… and really, you’re probably the only one who wants to do stuff like kiss me a-and date me, and… y-yeah.”

"I doubt that." He stroked her cheek and smiled at her. "I’m lucky to be the one who gets to be with you, but I can’t possibly be the only one who _wants_ to, who sees how amazing you are.”

Ahiru blushed. “I - I um… I don’t… oh, b-but, we should really get going now, it’s gonna start soon, cause it’s getting dark…”

"You’re right." Fakir squeezed her hand once more. "Let’s go. I don’t want to miss a single moment of dancing with you."

"Eeeee… okay…" Ahiru let out another happy giggle, and hand in hand they walked down the stairs and out of the house. Charon was out of town on a trip, so they had the place to themselves; they’d already made plans to take advantage of that after the Fire Festival was over, assuming they had the energy left to do so.

The bonfire had already been lit by the time they arrived, still holding hands, and some people were just beginning to dance. They watched them for a few seconds before joining them, Ahiru signaling Fakir that she was ready by taking a deep breath and smiling and nodding at him. She was still a little nervous, so she was a bit wobbly at first, but was soon enough relaxed and fully absorbed in the dancing and her partner. Her dancing became more and more joyful as the festival went on and she forgot her worries, focused entirely on having fun and on how happy to be there with her Fakir clearly was, matching her happiness at being with him. The other people around them seemed to melt away into the background;  they didn’t matter and weren’t seen anymore. They only saw each other, they were all that mattered.

Partway into things, Fakir began to incorporate some of the choreography from the dance they’d done together under the lake. Ahiru recognized it instantly, for she’d never forgotten that dance, not a single step of it, and the rush of emotion it produced in her showed on her face as she looked at him. Fakir smiled back at her, and then lifted her by the waist so he could spin her as he had beneath the water so long ago. Lost in the dance and each other, they didn’t notice that people around them gasped, not just at their dancing but at _them_ , at the beautiful raw emotion that radiated from the way they moved and how they gazed at each other. In the eyes of those around them, they seemed to glow with their own light, the light of the love they felt for one another that was expressed so tenderly and perfectly by the way they danced together. Oblivious though they were to the effect they were having on everyone watching, it was plain to all who saw them just how much they adored each other.

When at last the Festival was at its close, one of the ballet instructors from the Academy stood up in front of the dying bonfire to bluster about the ‘great history and tradition’ of the Fire Festival and the presentation of the Golden Apple and the legend behind it. Fakir reached for Ahiru’s hand as they listened to him, and he squeezed her tiny fingers. “Reminds me of Mr. Cat,” he said quietly. Ahiru giggled.

"… and as we conclude another wonderful Festival, it is my honor once again to offer my congratulations as we award the esteemed Golden Apple to this year’s lucky couple, whom all have agreed are the most deserving of the prize - and the eternal happiness that accompanies it - this time around." He waded through the crowd, and stopped in front of Fakir and Ahiru. "These two! Applause, please!"

"Wh-what? Us?" Ahiru squeaked, her free hand coming up to cover her mouth and muffle a quack. Everyone around them was clapping, and it seemed like no one was surprised except for the two of them that they were being given the apple.

"Indeed!" He held out the golden apple. "Take this apple along with my hearty congratulations, young lady - you and your young man have earned it!"

"I - I… th-thank you…" Stunned, Ahiru let go of Fakir’s hand so that she could accept the apple. It was a little lighter than it looked, but also heavier than she’d thought it would be. Fakir slipped his arm around her shoulders as she stared down at it, and she looked up to see him smiling at her.

The streets were quiet as they walked home; Ahiru carried the apple in both hands and Fakir kept pace beside her. He was the first one to say anything, though he waited until they were close to the house. “You knew what I was doing,” he said softly. “You recognized the dance… you remembered.”

"Of course I did." Ahiru smiled up at him. "I could never forget that dance, or what you said to me then… it’s always meant so much to me, you know that." His words below the lake, his heartfelt promise to her, they had given her the strength to cast aside the pendant, and then much later to tell him how she felt about him. She knew he wouldn’t break his promise, and she cherished it and the emotion that had been behind it when he first spoke those words to her.

Fakir smiled. “Are you happy?” His gaze strayed to the apple in her hands, glinting faintly in the light of the streetlamps. “Having won that?”

"Yes!" Ahiru nodded, beaming. "I mean, it’s like we said before, I don’t need this to know we’ll always be together, but it’s still really nice to have anyway. Cause, um…" Her face fell and she bit her lip. "I - I don’t know if you’ve heard, or - or how much you’ve heard, but… there’s people that wonder why we’re together, that don’t understand what you see in me, and - and I know I shouldn’t care so much what other people think, and I don’t need anyone’s approval to know we belong together, but… but it’s still good to know that there are at least some people that don’t think we’re w-weird or mismatched or that you could do so much better than stupid, clumsy me…"

Her little shoulders shook, as did her voice, and Fakir realized that she was starting to cry. For a moment he froze, locked in a horrible memory of having been responsible for her tears on the night of another Fire Festival, but he quickly shook it off, reminding himself that he hadn’t made her cry this time, that he was still keeping the private promise he’d made to himself to never again make her cry if he could help it. “Hey… Ahiru…” He moved to stand in front of her, stopping her in her tracks, and gently placed his hands on her arms. “I do know what people say about us,” he said quietly. “It bothers me too.”

"R-really?" Ahiru sniffled and looked up at him with wonder in her wet eyes. "H-how come? I thought you didn’t care what people thought of you."

"When it’s just about me, I don’t." He rubbed her arms a little. "But these things they’re saying, it’s not just about me. They’re saying cruel things about you, and hurting you, and that’s not acceptable." If someone wanted to say bad things about him, that was fine; he probably deserved it, anyway. But Ahiru deserved nothing but kindness, and it was both infuriating and heartbreaking to see her get treated with anything less by people who were inexplicably unable to see how wonderful she was.  "And before you say anything, it’s not silly of you to feel pain over what they say. They’re wrong and they’re foolish and they don’t know what they’re talking about, but cruelty is cruelty, and it’s natural to be hurt by it. We can’t control all our reactions to everything."

She sniffled again. “Th-that’s true…”

"Mmm-hmm." Fakir let go of her, only to reach up and wipe away the tears that had trickled down her cheeks. "I… don’t think I’ve told you this before… and I should have, I’m sorry I haven’t until now… but I think you make a better human than most people born as humans." He blushed brightly enough that she could see it even in the dark.

"Wh-what? But…" Ahiru gaped at him. " But I - I’m no good as a human! I’m so awkward and - and ignorant of human customs a-and normal behavior and I’m still learning stuff, and I _quack_ , and…”

"That doesn’t matter." He stroked her hair. "None of that matters as much as who you are, that’s what being a human is about. And you’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met." It was his turn to have his voice shake slightly. "You’re so kind. And brave. And sweet, and caring, and compassionate, and smart… so many wonderful things. That’s what’s important, that’s what matters most. If we _are_ mismatched, it’s because I’m not good enough for you. Not the other way around.”

"Oh, Fakir, no." Ahiru shook her head, and shifted the apple to hold in one hand so that she could reach up and touch his face with the other. "I don’t think that’s true at all. You know that."

"Well, I don’t think the reverse is true either, and _you_ know _that_.” His hand moved up to her cowlick, and he idly played with it a little. “Maybe… we could just agree that we’re not mismatched or weird - because I don’t really think we are - and that anyone who does think so is simply wrong, and doesn’t know what they’re talking about.”

"Y-yeah, and - and now that we have this, well, really, we have this because… now maybe some people can see how wrong they’ve been." Ahiru smiled. "S-so yeah, I agree… especially cause one thing I _do_ know is that you’re everything I want, and I love you.”

Fakir smiled. “We’re all right, then, because that’s how I feel about you.” He pulled her into a hug, with the apple between them, and for a couple of minutes he simply held her in the darkened street. “Are you feeling better?” he asked once they’d pulled apart.

"Much better." Ahiru nodded. "Thank you, Fakir. I - I feel ready to go home now. And… if you’re not too tired, I could use some help getting this costume off, a-and I could help you with yours too if you want." She gave him her familiar "wink" that wasn’t one, and he laughed. It didn’t matter how many times he’d seen her do that, his heart melted every time because it was so adorable.

"Yeah… I think I’m up for that." Fakir took her hand again and they resumed walking. "Let’s go home."


End file.
